Quail Barrel

[butch50]

About a million years ago I used to shoot quail. Back then it was a 20 gauge single shot, sometimes a borrowed 12 gauge.

I am going to pick up that bad habit again, and I don't know squat about bird guns. I have a 12 gauge Remington 870, what barrel length and choke would be best for quail with that pump?

Thanks in advance

Butch

[Long Path]

For quail, I like a light, short, fast gun. You don't need a long barrel with lots of swing, because pass-shooting is pretty much not gonna happen. I've known several folks to set 'em up so that the pattern centers about a foot above the front bead at 20 yards, to help with rising birds.

If I were going to seek out the perfect quail gun, it would probably be a double-barrel 20 ga with 22 inch barrels. (Your choice O/U or SXS; I just want the short action) Light, short, and quick.

With that 870, I'm guessing a 20" to 24" barrel could be found. Leave the plug out (in TX this is legal for quail-- YMMV in other states) and load it with AA heavy target #8's or even #9's.

Note: any minute now, Art's about to open this page and laugh and laugh and laugh at me offering advice on quail hunting. You see, he watched me miss about 4 shots in a row on some elusive blue quail, once...

[sm]

Yeah but Art was using a scoped rifle and shooting the quail off the ground I bet. ducking and running...

I agree with Long Path , Two barrel gun, open chokes, light and fast since a lot of times more toting than shooting. This is where the 28 ga shines. My favorite was a Citori 3 bbl set for skeet, I used the 28 ga bbls that were fixed skeet chokes.

870...28ga, fixed skeet choke. Easy to tote, and easy to shoot.

In the 12 and 20 bores using what the pattern board says is skeet or imp cyl works well. If you have a 18.5" , 20" bbl threaded for chokes - get a skeet choke. Even a 21" turkey bbl with a skeet choke will work.

Long Path mentioned , and I will touch it on as well. Gun fit to shooter, Pattern the gun and loads. First shot I ususally use #8.5 soft ( chilled shot) second shell is #8.5 Hard shot.

I admit, I still like to shoot a single shot shotgun. I used a Youth model NEF in 20 ga , fixed mod bbl, and reloaded some #8.5 shot in both chilled and hard.
This is mom's HD gun btw...needed some excercise....

The 28 ga single shot is great, especially if any kids are going, easy to carry but shoot with authority - and like the big folks gauge.

Still....410 single shot for me is still too much fun.

I didn't grow up - just got bigger Art

[HunterTRW]

Welcome back to upland bird hunting.

To my way of thinking the 20-gauge is the classic gentleman's quail-gun, and I was pleased to read that this is what you cut your teeth on. Each season in the field I see a large number of single-barreled guns (pumps and semi-automatics), so a Model 870 would not be out of place. My personal preference is for a side-by-side or over-under. Regardless, a gun that shoots at least half a pattern high at 35-to-40 yards will make it much easier to hit those fast-rising feathered bombs. Accordingly, I recommend spending a little time now at the patterning board--the result can be cleaner kills and a fuller game bag once the season starts.

As for choke, improved cylinder would win my vote in a single-barreled gun; in a sxs or o/u, improved cylinder (or even cylinder) and improved modified gets the nod. Regarding shot, I tend to favor 8s or 7.5s (if the birds are a little farther out).

Hope this helps.

Good luck, and good shooting!

[SeekHer]

You can get Remington replacement barrels in 24" from a number of after market makers and why worry about one choke setting, get a multi choke tube set for it.
In heavy cover, at short distances an Imp cyl would work but in the open field were shots are further out you'd want to have a mod or even full choke...this way you would have the ability to change as environment dictates...and the cost is not that much greater.
As for shot size 6, 7½, 8 or 9s will do although I lean for 7½s in cover and 6s in open ground...AND always bring more than you think you will need.

[Long Path]

As for choke, I like open and improved. I don't want modified choke for a bird that's going to probably flush under my feet. 20 yards is a long quail shot.

[butch50]

The reason I am going with the 870 is because I already own one, and it would seem that buying a quail barrel for it would be the best way to start back. If I stay with it, I will probably be looking for a double barrel - I know most quail seem to prefer the o/u, but I have always been partial to sxs myself, so will probably go that direction. Eventually.

I am enjoying all of the input, thanks guys!

[Long Path]

Oh, and while I hunt a lot with my 12 ga 1100 and some 12 ga 870's, I think that they're really kind of overbore for quail hunting. 16 ga is great, and so is 20 gauge for quail. I've seen good work done by a man with a .410 bore, but I'm not that good a shot. I would think that 28 gauge would probably be a good choice.

Again, my choice would be the lighter framed guns-- quail-hunting usually involves a LOT of walking.

[Art Eatman]

I gota take up for Long Path, although it was funny at the time. He'd never hunted Blues before. Blue quail don't behave like Mr. Bobwhite. Blues wil run and run before they'll fly, quite often.

LP's birds flushed from his offside, with one of them headed for low orbit and the other just going for distance. By the time he'd picked out which one to try for, Long Path was looking at Long Gone.

For blues, I mostly use my old Model 12. 30" Full, but that's full with paper hulls. With plastic, it's extra, extra full. Most shots I've had have been more like 35 or 40 yards than in closer. I use monster Winchester loads, 3-3/4 dram, 1-3/4 oz. of 7-1/2. High Base stuff. But, they pattern almost perfectly.

And, good bobcat load.

Art

[Long Path]

Yeah-- bobwhites are more of a walk and walk and walk and shoot quick while they all blast straight up from you at your feet. (Hint: urinate whenever you get the chance to do so. Bobwhites on a full bladder has been known to cause accidents in some!)

Blues are more of a spot and stalk proposition. They really will run and run from you, and when the get up, they skim the brush low (often below the horizon, which makes them far harder to see), looking for a bit more cover to drop into (and run away in). Basically, you see 'em, try to end-around 'em, and quickly walk/run into the covey and shoot at the rapidly receeding quail. Frankly, I don't consider is so very unsporting to skillet-shoot a couple of those guys. (Here come the objections!) I'm betting that a dog would be helpful in keeping them closer.

At any rate, the difference in types of quail sure makes for a difference in proper gun for 'em. I would definitely screw in my Modified choke or even my full for those blues.

[Art Eatman]

Anybody who thinks shooting a wide-open-throttle running blue quail on the ground isn't sporting has certainly never, ever tried the running rabbit at a Sporting Clays setup.

, Art

[sm]

Wabbits.

Now I can take the rising teal at 5 stand or SC all day long, run that wabbit and I used to get fits, cuss, and basically get frustrated.

"You know - you could pretend that is a Blue... " -
Don't you hate it when a mentor in Tuff Nutt's and wad of Red Man turns on the light bulb?

Yeah well so everyone else was shooting rising teals with the Wabbit for doubles. Typical me, I'm shooting Quail and Teal. So I told my brain anyway. So that is how I overcame that little dealie.

In real life - wabbits no problem...from a trap machine, well it used to be cussing from my perspective, and funny with side bets for my squad.

Art brings out a great point, one we harp on and bears reminding - again.

Gun fit to shooter, gun patterned with loads for Task intended with ranges and conditions expected to be encountered.

I last took blues with a Mod 12 fixed full choke 30" bbl, shooting Win Super Pigeon Loads, I was wearing Russel Boots too.

Dang them suckers can run!

Bobwhites flush "right there" and scare the living daylights out of new to bobwhite hunters. By the time they [new hunters] have peed themselves, figured out 'what was THAT?" Bobwhite is long gone.

"You mean you are supposed to shoot 'em with pee running down your britches?"

Yep!

[Long Path]

My little brother will either:

• [A]Never go quail hunting again, or
  [B]Never go quail hunting with me again. I'm not sure which, after

a covey blew up under his feet, and he was so surprised that he flailed in the mud we were walking through, and both hands and both feet became trailing edges. He landed in a butt-first, all-over backside plunge in a significant mudpit. But he kept that shotgun out of the mud.

I was laughing to hard to get off a shot.

[butch50]

One of the things I missed about quail hunting, is having them flush right at your toes and making your heart go WHAM WHAM WHAM, and then you try to shoot! I am looking forward to the season.....

[sm]

Long Path,
I hear you. I helped raise the sibs when the daddy left, the baby brother I decided needed to learn to hunt. Now I was out on my own and momma being the church goer - was trying to raise the sibs right...probably trying to undo some of my teachings...

Quail Flushed and he managed to control the muzzle - all the while stepping and fetching until he went down. Seems he did not heed my warnings about how slippery Cow Chips can be...especially the fresh ones. Oh My! He let out a stream of cuss words - he even used the word I use to refer to cow chips.

Well he was instructed to hunt downwind the rest of the day. He had questioned my suggestion to bring a change of clothes...

Now a teenager is full of himself, until a farmer's daughter catches you in your shorts using the garden hose...Stud turns to beet red humble pie.

I bring him home, mom sees this trash bag and being a typical mom opens it..."Whew! What did You do to MY baby boy?"

"I didn't do nothing, I tried to tell him but you know how he don't listen...you should have smelled them clothes before I hosed them off..."

Now his version of that day differs from what happened...surprise. Even tho I walked away from him and the others for other reasons, well he may be a deacon in a church and all...be a real big deal now-a days- I remember a morning when if the truth was known ...well not sure he would like that told to his church family.

Maybe I ought to share that with them folks sometime.